Runner Pt 1
by Corrupt Agent
Summary: On the other side of The City, other Runners have jobs of their own... This fan-fic of Mirror's Edge follows the story of Falco, another runner on the run from the Blues.


The City is a large, clean metropolis home to millions of people. Mayor Robert Pope, residing as current mayor of The City, keeps it clean, happy, and _free_. Freedom. The people remain ignorant to the mayor's definition of freedom. Freedom in the City means you get to choose your job, but not your house. You may not leave the city, you may not speak to outsiders, you may not speak badly about corporations or the government. The blues are waiting everywhere. The runners have no such obligation. The runners are above the law, and they know what freedom really is. They are truly free. They run along rooftops, carrying messages to other runners, and undermining the government to ensure freedom for everyone in The City.

North Harbor - 8:25 AM

"In the news today," The anchorman spoke. "the City Protection Force has taken down yet another Runner base, appearing to be the single largest takedown in the history of the CPF. Here is Mayor Robert Pope with his take on the story."

Falco hit the power button on the remote, disgusted with Pope's turn from his Runner past. Falco was a runner who lived on the docks, hiding out with three other runners in a bone-dry water tower over a shining white apartment complex. The water tower was huge and unsuspecting, with four stories, one for each person. Tanner jumped down the hole from his room to Falco's, and strode up to him with a yellow bag.

"So," Tanner asked. "You got any jobs today?"

"Three." Falco responded.

"Harsh, man. Merc's gotta be on 'ya pretty hard."

"Yeah, but without Merc, we'd be starving. He's taking the biggest risk, even collecting payment."

"Whatever. You should get going. Where's the first package going?"

"Fishing boat south of here, collecting payment for some extra nets."

"Easy, at least. Be seeing you."

"Yeah."

Falco dropped out of the water tower, the yellow pack under his white shirt. He looked forward at the sprawling city, admiring how clean the buildings were. White, with blue-tinted windows. It seemed the general color scheme was broken by nothing but the red markings painted by the Runners. Falco ran swiftly across the rooftops towards South Harbor, following the red markings that signaled safe places to land. He looked around while he ran, and noticed a firefight on another rooftop to the right of him. The Blues there were attacking a ventilation hub, pulling out a man and slapping handcuffs on him, pushing him to the ground and laughing. Falco jumped over there, sliding between the legs of a Blue, taking his legs with him - straight to the ground. The Blue dropped his baton as he fell, Falco picked it up, using it to deal with the second one, while the third ran straight away. Falco slammed the man's cuffs on the ground, breaking the chains into fine pieces. Falco continued on his route to South Harbor, leaving nothing but dust behind him.

South Harbor - 10:18 AM

Falco reached South Harbor, late in the morning, and walked up to a small boat - The CFV Big Red. He met with an old man, thin and fairly short.

"Why, hello, young man!" The man exclaimed. "I see you'd like to buy some fish! Cod or bass?"

"Salmon." Falco answered.

"Ah! You're here for the salmon! Come on below deck."

The two went below deck into his ship, it was dimly lit, and smelled like cherries and fish.

"Well," The man said quietly. "How much were the nets again?"

"Ten dollars each." Falco replied.  
"Ah, okay. Here's forty dollars! And I think you deserve a tip! Here's another ten dollars. Maybe you'd consider buying some tilapia?"

"Hah!" Falco laughed out loud. "Sure. I'll take four pounds."

"Ten dollars! Or, you know what? The fish'll be your tip. Keep it cold!"

"You got it."

Falco jumped out of the ship with the fish in his yellow pack. He jumped along the rooftops to the water tower. He came up to halfway there, until he came to a certain building.

_**CRASH!**_

The roof crumbled under his weight, and he soon realized why. The building was one of many fake buildings set up as a trap by Blues, designed to stop runners in their tracks.

"HANDS IN THE AIR!" One of them screamed through his heavy breathing mask. These were members of the SWAT team, who specialized in dealing with Runners.

"HANDS IN THE AIR OR WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO SHOOT!"

Falco slowly put his hands in the air, rubbing one hand very fast on his corduroy shorts. As his hands extended all the way up, he revealed seven multi colored spheres in his hands. They were cherry bombs, lit on fire by his shorts. The bombs exploded, emitting a rainbow of colors, giving Falco a chance to escape. He dropped the cherry bombs on the ground and ran straight through the guards, knocking one to the ground. He opened and ran straight through the door, which led to the second floor of the mall. He exploded down the escalator, ramming through large crowds of people. He ran into the corridor to the subway, and hopped on a train hopped on top of a train. The train was headed to the City Eye Building - the exact spot of his next delivery.

End of Chapter One (The Exposition) 


End file.
